Tools of the Trade
Stealth Stealth is arguably the most important trait of the Galactic Secret Service. Being stealthy can mean the difference between sneaking around an enemy encampment unnoticed or facing off against an impossibly large army of angry baddies who would love nothing less than to pump you with enough lead to start a pencil factory. Certain MMO games emphasize on the use of stealth tactics as a means of playing the game. In Star Trek Online, players can opt to outfit their characters and their starships with cloaking devices that will allow them to move undetected in an area that would normally be difficult (if not impossible) to pass with fools shooting at them. Of course, not all MMO games are created equal. A good number of MMO games do not even focus on cloaks or silenced weapons. But even though some games do not emphasize on stealth technology, it does not mean one can't be stealthy. Stealth is not bound to gadgets. One can usually be stealthy by simply hiding in the shaddows, hiding around corners, or sneaking around a different path. In Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures, it became a staple in G.S.S training to move about a battleground map stealthily by hiding amonst trees and buildings. Experimental Gadgets No spy is complete without a set of high tech, and usually random, set of gadgets. Gadgets are a handy way to compete objectives in extremely unconventional and/or stealthy way. Gadgets can mean the difference between inconspicuously drawing an enemy out of a crowd and blunderingly charging into a gunfight with civillians surrounding you. Most MMO games will support players using sophisticated gadgets such as Star Trek Online's Risian Floater and Powerboard, or Star Wars: CWA's rocket launcher, personal shield, or Force Powers. Silenced Weapons Silenced weapons are a spy's best friend. With silenced weapons, a usually loud weapon can sound as quiet as a whisper. And when stealth fails you, a silenced weapon may be just the blessed thing to use to stop an enemy quietly before he raises an alarm. However, agents don't always use silenced weapons on every mission they embark on. In some situations, it is a good idea to form a distraction to draw enemies away from the real target. This usually requires a tag team of agents, with one or more providing the distraction while the other one or two carry out their objectives. Suped-Up Vehicles Often times, agents rely as much on their vehicles as they do oxygen. Spy vehicles are the personal powerhouse in an agent's arcenal. Usually, when it comes to vehicles, the faster and deadlier they are, the better. In Star Trek Online, the vehicles of the game are the starships. These beam-tanks, when properly equipped, are a force to be reckoned with. When enemies come offering to give you a dirt nap, you can decline their offer with force using a properly powered torpedo. However, these powerful starships are not invincible. When faced against larger foe such as planet-killers and Borg Cubes, one starship will not be enough. In the Transformers Universe version of the G.S.S, agents provide their own powerhouse vehicles as their alternate form, which they can use to traverse the battleground with amazing speed and agility. Star Wars the Clone Wars Adventures utilized speederbikes and starfighters to zip their way around everyone. When faced in a drag race or a pursuit chase, agents of the G.S.S can comfortable rely on their standard issue Starhawk Speederbike. With the ability to jump, boost, and drift around corners, the bad guys won't be able to stand a chance against the G.S.S. But ground vehicles